National News

Apr 12, 2019

1:23PM

The Supreme Court today allowed former Trinamool Congress MP Saumitra Khan, who is now a BJP candidate and facing a criminal case, to enter Bishnupur constituency in West Bengal only for filing his nomination papers in the Lok Sabha polls.

Refusing to vacate the Calcutta High Court order which had directed Soumitra Khan not to enter his district Bankura, the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked Khan to approach the High Court for seeking modification of the order .
Khan is an accused in the cases of allegedly taking money from students on the promise of giving them jobs. Khan has also been named as accused in illegal sand mining case.

The high court had in March extended the ban on Khan, who is contesting the election from Bishnupur parliamentary constituency on a BJP ticket, by six weeks. The high court had said such a ban was required for a free and fair investigation of cases against Khan considering his political clout in the area.